Mail-box.



1 No. 870,654. PATENTED NOV. 12, 1907.

' W. E. & G. WESTON.

MAIL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 14, 1907.

2 SHEETSSHELT 1.

3 lNVENTORS. W\LL.IF\M EZ'WESTON.

GEORGE WESTON.

HTT'YS.

No. 870,654. PATENTED NOV. 12, 1907. W. E. & G. WESTON.

MAIL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 14, 1907.

2 sums-sum 2.

pvt-TEST lNvENToRs. 5/ WA WILLlHM E. WESTON GEORGE WESTON.

. BY ATTYs.

THE uamus PETERS co., wummzroll, u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. WESTON AND GEORGE WESTON, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

MAIL-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 12, 1907.

Application filed January 14 1907. Serial No. 352.325.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM E. Wns'roN and GEORGE WESTON, bot-h citizens of the United States, and residents of Kansas City, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes, of which the following is a specification containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part herool'.

Our invention relates to that class of mail boxes such were now used in rural districts throughout the country for the depositing and distributing of mail matter.

To this end, our invention consists of certain parts and combination of parts as will hereinafter be described in the specification and pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of our invention, dis closing its appearance when ready for use. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View of same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal longitudinal section. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the front end of the mail box. Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the box.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates the body of the box which is preferably constructed of sheet metal and provided with the strengtheningtribs 2 adjacent each end.

The lower edges 3 of the sides of the box are bent inward and upward, and receive the downwardly bent outer edges of a bottom 4. When this bottom 4 is in position it is made secure by a plurality of rivets 6, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

We will next describe the front end of the box, which comprises a cast iron plate 7, of sufficient strength and which is provided with a flange 8, integral with its outer edges, and is further provided with an opening of suflicient size to admit a mans hand. This plate is made secure to the box by means of rivets 9, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The plate is preferably set back from the extreme end of the box about one inch, more or less.

A door '10, of cast metal, is provided with outward extending lugs 11 integral therewith, and said lugs engage and are pivotally secured to-thc outward extending flange 8. The door 10 is also provided with a vertical slot 12 at itsupper end, which is adapted to receive a staple 13, secured to the end of the box 1. Pivotally mounted on the front end of the box, over the door, is a hinge or flap 14, the object of which will be hereinafter described.

15 designates the rear end of the box, which is formed of a cast metal plate provided with a flange 16 around its outer edge, and said plate is secured to the box 1 by means of rivets 9. Pivotally secured to the flange 16 of the plate 15 by means of lugs 17, is a cast plate 18 of semicircular outline. When in position, as shown, it snugly engages the semicircular top portion of the box and is adapted to swing down over the lower portion of the plate 15, and rests with its lower edge, when in that position, on a log 19, which is integral with said plate 15. The plate 15 is also provided at the upper portion with a projecting lug 20, clearly shown in section at Fig. 2, the object of said lug being to provide a stop or resting point [or the upper edge of the plate 18 when elevated.

We have further provided a pipe or tube 21, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, extending longitudinally through the box. The end of the tube in the rear plate 15 of the box passes through a corrcspornling opening and is made secure thereto, and the end oi the tube at the front end 01'' the box is secured by means of a suitable bracket 22, riveted to the side of the box. Passing through said tube is a chain 23, which is made secure to the plate 16 at the rear end of the box, while the end of the chain at the front of the box is adapted to engage and be disengaged from a lug or pin 24. This chain 23, as will be observed in Fig. 3, is provided about midway with a helical or spiral spring 25, the object of which will be hereinafter described. "0 have also provided a removable bottom 26 for the box in addition to the bot tom proper, and secured to the bottom proper about midway of the length ol the box is a bracket 27, to which is secured one end of a helical spring 28, which latter is extended by means of a chain 29. This bracket, spring and chain, as will be noticed, are located between the bottom proper and the removable bottom 26, and the outer end of the chain 29 is secured to a loop or an eye 30, fixed to the door 10. This eye is rigid to the inside of the door 10 at the center thereof, and a short distance above the pivotal points 11 of the door.

A knob 31, which is rigid with the outside of the door, is provided for the purpose of manipulating the door 10. All the upper half or semicircular portion of the head of the box at the rear end above the pivotal points 17 of the plate is painted white, and the inside of the plate 16, as shown in Fig. 2, is painted white also, and all of said head below the pivotal point 17 of the plate 16 is painted red, or the same color as the entire box except the upper portion of the head referred to. The flap 14, the outside thereof, as indicated in Fig. 1, is painted white also. The inside or top side of the flap 14, as indicated in Fig. 2, is painted red. The box when ready for use is usually positioned on a post or otherwise a suitable distance above the ground to make it convenient for the reception and discharge oi mail matter, with its rear end toward the house and its front end toward the road along which the mail carrier travels.

The operation and manipulation of our mail box is as follows: When the mail carrier approaches the box for the purpose of delivering his mail, he first takes the padlock (not shown) from the staple 13, if the box be locked. He then grasps the knob 31 and opens the door by pulling downward. This movement of the door causes the spiral spring 28 to expand, giving it a higher tension than it had in the position shown in Fig. 2. If there should be any mail in the box for him to deliver to the post ofiice, he removes said mail and deposits the mail for the farmer in the box. releases the chain 23 from the lug 24, when the-plate 16 will drop to the position seen in the dotted line at the rear end of the box. When the plate 16 is in such position, the whole rear end of the box appears white as has already been indicated. This White end of the box now points toward the farmers house, and this indicates that there is mail matter in the box. At the same time the carrier will shift flap 14 to the bot tom shown by dotted line seen in Fig. 2. When the farmer has mail to deposit to be conveyed to the post ofiice, he opens the door, as already described and places the mail on the inside of the box, then closes the door and reverses the flap 14 to the position shown in dotted lines, which will expose the white end of said fla and thus indicate to the mail carrier that there is mail in the box for him to deliver to the post office. It will be observed that the lug which the lower end of the chain is adapted to engage and disengage is He then on the inside of the box, which arrangement precludes the possibility of its being tampered with.

The object of the springs 28 and 25 is for the purpose of providing elasticity to the movement of the door 10 in the front and plate 16 in the rear.

Having now fully described our invention, we claim:

1. In a mail box of the character described, a suitable easing, a flanged head in the front end thereof, a pin on the inside of said flanged head, a flanged head in the rear end thereof, a longitudinal tube, one end thereof fixed to the inside of the casing, an adjustable plate pivotally mounted to the rear head, a chain or cable through the longitudinal tube, one end thereof engaging the adjustable plate in the rear and adapted to engage and disengage the pin on the inside of the front head of the box; substantially as described.

2. In a mail box of the class described, a suitable casing, an adjustable flap mounted thereon, an adjustable bottom therein, a bracket rigid to the bottom of the casing, a spring engaging the bracket, a chain engaging the Spring at one end and engaging a bracket at the opposite end, which bracket is fixed to the door at the front end of the box; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification, in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

WM. E. WESTON. GEO. WESTON.

Witnesses:

O. A. Lucas, Tnos. A. MILBURN. 

